Summer Winds
by Hollowgo
Summary: AU. Oneshot/Giftshot. As summer begins, Bella reflects on the life she'll soon have with Alice and her family of vampires as she spends some fun time with her favorite vampire family. Alice/Bella. Rated T for mild language.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga, Stephanie Meyer does. I own my ideas only in this story.**

**This story is dedicated to an amazing Bellice writer and a friend, MyTwiDreams. Never let the negativity of fools bring you down.**

**Summer Winds**

"_Bella."_

_The gentle, melodious voice echoes around me as I gaze out at the beautiful scenery of a meadow filled with flowers and lush trees. I closed my eyes to listen for the sound of my name again, recognizing the singsong voice instantly. _

"_Bella."_

_I looked around, but I couldn't find the source of the voice. "Alice?" _

"_Bella." _

_I knew it was Alice's voice, but I didn't know where she was. "Alice, where are you?"_

Before I could say another word, the scenery faded away into a burst of flowers and I slowly opened my eyes, coming face to face with the beautiful amber-colored eyes I knew and loved, my body relaxing instantly as I melted into her arms. She brushed her cool lips against my cheek, then pressed them to mine in a tender kiss.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Alice cooed, smiling against my mouth, amber eyes glimmering.

"Hi," I greeted her back, blushing.

Alice giggled. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," I replied, snuggling closer into her firm yet loving embrace. I used this to my advantage and breathed in her rich, aromatic scent, shuddering at how intoxicatingly good she smelled and wishing I could bottle the scent. "You smell _good_, Alice."

"Why thank you," Alice replied. "You smell wonderful yourself." I smiled and we cuddled in bed for what felt like hours before Alice sat up. "Bells, I know you could spend the whole day in my arms—trust me, I'd love that too—but we have plans today, remember?"

I furrowed my brow. "We do?"

She giggled again and lifted me so I was sitting up with her. "Silly girl, don't you remember that today's the day we had our family picnic planned? Esme invited you, you said yes, I asked if you wanted to go shopping first, you said yes…is any of this ringing a bell?" She gently poked my forehead and grinned. "We'd better get going. I've got to buy you something sexy to wear."

I blushed slightly and groaned. "I really don't see why we have to go shopping, Alice."

"Aw, come on," Alice whined. "It's not _that_ bad, Bella. I'm not going to make you try on a hundred different outfits; I just want to take you so I can buy something for us to wear! And no, we're not wearing any of the clothes you have already. None of them will work."

"You and your shopping obsession, Alice," I giggled, tousling her hair.

She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a fashionable woman at heart. Now up!" I attempted to go back to bed, but Alice yanked me out from under the covers and perched me on top of her shoulder. "Nuh uh, Bells. No sleeping. We have too much to do today."

"Alice!" I huffed. "Put me down!"

"Nope!" she chirped, leaving our room with me squirming to get free. After she walked into the bathroom, she set me down and pressed her lips to mine, stopping whatever words I'd planned on using to try and prolong our departure. When she pulled away, she stroked my cheeks tenderly and smiled that dimpled, impish grin of hers. "I'll make you a deal, Bells."

"What?" I asked.

"If you take your shower, I'll make you breakfast," she said. "After that, we'll go shopping and buy something cute for the two of us to wear. Then, we'll have fun with the rest of the family, just like we planned." Her impish grin grew as she leaned in to brush her lips against my ear. "I might even throw in a special treat for you tonight, if you're a good girl."

I shuddered at her words. "Alright," I replied. "I have a few conditions, though."

"And what might those be?" she inquired, lifting a fine eyebrow.

I kissed her fully on the lips, then pressed my lips to her neck. "First, I get to choose what you wear today," I murmured against her skin before sucking on her pulse point. Alice moaned and pulled me close to her. "And second…" I did what she did, only I actually nipped at her ear. "I want you on top tonight, Ali. Do we have a deal?"

Alice stared back at me in silence for a moment, her eyes pitch black with a hint of desire. I watched as her eyes slowly returned to their natural golden hue as she licked her lips, the impish smile returning full force as she kissed me once again.

"Deal," she breathed. "Go take your shower. I'll be downstairs."

She disappeared in a blur and I smirked, pleased that I'd been able to turn the tables on my clever vampire, just as I always did. Still smirking, I closed the door and shrugged out of my clothes before stepping into the Cullen manor's massive shower.

Alice and I had been a couple for a full year now. We met when the Cullen family moved down to Forks from Alaska right before the new semester started. I'd been living alone at the time, as my father, Charlie, died four years prior during his job. Charlie's death had hit me hard and by the time the Cullens came around, I was still lost in my depression.

I turned the warm water on while I thought back to the first day, when Alice and I met.

_The halls seemed empty to me that day as I slowly walked through them, the sounds of hushed whispers all around me. Everyone knew who I was and what happened to my father. Some showed me sympathy with kind words or gestures; others took to gossiping about me, using my depressed state of mind as a weapon to make me look weak and pathetic._

_One group of students in particular, led by the queen of the school, Lauren Mallory, was openly hostile to me, believing I had gotten into drugs and other unspeakable things. And, like clockwork, their first order of business was to come and make fun of me._

"_Hey Swan!" shouted Lauren, making her way toward me with her entourage behind her._

_I ignored her and turned around to walk the opposite way, but in doing so, I accidentally crashed into someone and fell backwards onto the floor, causing my open backpack to spew out all my books and school items. I heard Lauren and her friends start to laugh while I fumbled over my fallen things when the person I'd run into started helping._

_It was Alice, who smiled kindly at me despite my running into her. Of all the parts about her that stood out to me, her eyes were the ones that hit me the most; they were so beautiful, I froze in place and stared into them for at least two full minutes before she cleared her throat and I realized she was handing me my things._

"_Th-thanks," I muttered, blushing furiously. "Sorry about…running into you."_

"_It's quite alright," she replied. "Are you alright?"_

"_Yeah," I said, stuffing everything into my backpack and standing._

_She stood as well and I couldn't help noticing that she was small just like I was. In fact, we were practically the same exact height except for maybe an inch or two difference on my part. She smiled cheerily at me and extended her hand just as Lauren and her gang closed in on us._

"_My name is Alice," she said. "What's yours?"_

_I reached out to take her hand, her grasp firm, yet gentle. "I'm—" _

"_Nice fall, Swan!" Lauren jeered. Her friends laughed. "Who's your friend? Oh, wait, I know who you are, you're one of those new rich folks who moved here, huh?" She grinned as if she had some master plan thought out. "A word of advice, I wouldn't hang out with this bitch, she's a waste of life. All she ever does is mope because her poor daddy got killed on the job."_

_Her words infuriated me and I tried to punch her, but she easily tripped me up, causing me to fall flat on my face. More laughter rang in my ears and I cursed under my breath, trying hard not to cry at my own pain. I felt cool hands on my back, however, and looked up to see Alice looking down at me sympathetically as she helped me up._

_She then turned around and looked at Lauren with narrowed eyes. "So, I take it you're the head bitch of this school, aren't you?" she asked. "The smug grin, the brainless followers, the big breasts that drive the guys wild…yeah, you're her. I'm pretty sure you're also a slut, judging from the overkill on your makeup, your shoddy wardrobe, and how no one here really likes you."_

_Lauren looked taken aback and a few of her groupies snickered. "W-what did you—?"_

"_I'd also wager you hold some sort of power in this school, yes?" Alice asked. "Head cheerleader, maybe, or you're dating a boy on the football team. That and your good looks are the only reason you're popular. Without those, you would be in Miss Swan's place here, no doubt, and your 'friends' would be in your current position. Sound about right?"_

_I was speechless at Alice's behavior; no one had ever stood up to Lauren before. The blonde girl seemed to struggle with the fact that she'd just been insulted, but it got to her soon enough and she stood in front of Alice, towering over her by at least six inches._

_She glared at Alice. "You listen to me, you little—" _

_Her words died away when someone else appeared, a girl with skin as pale as Alice's and the same gold colored eyes. This girl, though, was much taller, much prettier and had a fierce glint in her eyes that made Lauren back away instantly._

"_Back off, bitch," she hissed._

"_Easy, Rose," Alice said. "She wouldn't do anything to me. She's all talk."_

"_I don't care," growled the girl. "Beat it, all of you."_

_Lauren's friends scampered away in fear and she, after glaring at the three of us, quickly joined them. I was still gawking in awe when Alice turned and offered me a pleasant smile._

"_I still didn't catch your name," she said._

"_Bella," I mumbled, blinking rapidly._

"_It's nice to meet you, Bella," Alice replied. "I have a feeling we're going to be good friends."_

I snorted as I stepped out of the shower and dried my body. Alice knew from the beginning that she and I would end up falling in love. In fact, she'd already fallen in love with me from the visions she had, but for me, it was a gradual process because I didn't trust her when we first met. But that changed as time went on—she became my best friend, then my lover.

After a month and a half, I moved into the Cullen manor to live with Alice and her family. They welcomed me with open arms; Rosalie, the oldest and one of the strongest, became my protective big sister and another of my best friends. I also became close to her sisters Maria and Angela, who had always been nice to me from the day I met them and helped push us together.

Then there were her brothers. Emmett, Rosalie's husband, was goofy and the first of the group to take to me aside from Alice. Jasper, Maria's husband, was gentle and polite, always helping me with his intellect or his gift. And lastly, Angela's husband Edward, the mind reader, didn't like me much at first, but over time we grew somewhat closer.

Esme and Carlisle, the Cullen parents and leaders, took to me quickly as well. They treated me like their child even when I wasn't and, suffice to say, their love and affection gradually filled the massive hole left from Charlie's passing. Now I was considered a Cullen even though I had yet to turn, though Alice promised she would turn me once school ended.

Once I'd finished drying, I walked back to our room—no one else was home other than Alice and me—and put a clean pair of clothes on before heading downstairs to the wondrous smells of food being made for me by my psychic girlfriend in the kitchen.

"Holy crap, Alice," I breathed when I saw the massive feast she'd prepared. "That's a lot!"

Alice spun around and danced over to kiss me. "Yup, because I want my Bella to eat heartily and have a full belly before we head out to shop," she chirped. "Sit and enjoy, my sweet. I'm going to open a window so the food stink can filter out of the room, then I'll rejoin you."

I laughed as I sat down. "Gee, thanks, Alice," I said, shaking my head. "Insulting the meal I'm about to eat makes me feel real good about it now."

She spun over to me and kissed my forehead. "I'm not insulting you, my love, I'm merely saying human food is stinky, and I know Rosalie will start to complain if there're any lingering odors when we return home later. That's why I'm going to open some windows. By no means am I insulting the food I cooked, since, well, _I _cooked it."

"Thank you, Alice," I said.

"You're welcome," she replied. "Enjoy."

I started eating the breakfast Alice had prepared for me—which included practically every breakfast food imaginable and then some—loving every bite as Alice opened several windows before coming to join me. She sat next to me and watched with wonderment and curiosity, the same emotions that usually reflected in her eyes whenever I ate.

No sooner did I finish was my plate snatched away from me, along with my glass and utensils, followed by every other dish on the table. I tried to help, but Alice gently removed whatever I grabbed from my hands, pausing to poke me in the belly when I pouted. It was then that I noticed she was wearing an entirely different outfit, which I rolled my eyes at. Typical Alice.

"There," Alice said, moments later. "Dishes done, human fed, wardrobe altered…it's go time!"

I giggled. "You're funny, Alice."

"Thank you," she said, taking a bow. "I know. Are you ready?"

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, lacing my fingers around hers.

We kissed once, then headed outside, where Alice broke away and ran to grab her sleek yellow Porsche, which Alice quickly got out of once it was free from the confines of the garage to open the door for me. I thanked her, got in and buckled up just as Alice sped off into town. With Alice's crazy driving, it took us no time to arrive to our destination: Forks' new super mall.

Alice squealed in delight when we arrived. "Oh, I can't wait! It took them two stinking years to finish this thing, but now I finally get the chance to shop here! I'm so excited!"

I watched her jump up and down in excitement and smiled. "I love you, Alice."

Alice stopped and turned to grin at me. "I love you too, Bells."

We headed inside the massive mall together, holding hands once again. As we walked inside, my eyes widened at the sheer size of the super mall, and I wondered how many parts of it Alice intended to visit. I snuck a glance at her and noted the look of glee in her eyes, which scared me a little even though I myself didn't mind shopping.

"Uh, Alice?" I asked, trying to grab her attention.

"Don't sweat it, Bella," Alice said. "We're not going to go everywhere. I promised this would be quick and I keep my promises. I'm just…oh, if only we could spend some more time here." She shook her head and sighed. "Oh well, let's go to the summer wear. I get to pick out your attire, then you can choose mine and I won't look to spoil it!"

"Fine by me," I replied. "I'm surprised you didn't invite your sisters."

"_Our_ sisters," Alice corrected me. "And who says I didn't?"

No sooner did we go up the escalator was I pulled into the powerful, loving grip of Rosalie, whom I thought was out elsewhere with Emmett. After my initial surprise at her sudden appearance, I relaxed into my best friend's embrace and hugged her back. She then set me down and kissed my forehead before doing the same with Alice.

"Hello, my sisters," Rosalie greeted us. "I see Alice found some way to convince you to come shopping with her, huh, Bella?" She chuckled and tousled my hair. "Or was it you who made Alice a deal of some kind in exchange for coming?" She lifted one eyebrow as if she already knew the answer to her own question, which only seemed to amuse her.

Alice stuck her tongue out at the Amazonian blonde. "Shut it, Rose. It was a mutual agreement."

Rosalie laughed. "Yeah, sure, let's go with that."

"It's good to see you, Rose," I said with a smile. "At least now someone can moderate how much Alice decides to buy and how many random outfits she throws on me." Alice huffed next to me and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, Ali, but it's true."

"What did I just get finished saying not too long ago?" she asked.

"I know, I know," I snickered.

Rosalie chuckled and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, Bells, I'll protect you from Alice."

Alice stuck her tongue out at both of us, but started giggling seconds later, Rosalie and I joining her as we made our way to the women's department. I lost track of time as Alice put me into the dressing room while she went and found clothes for me to wear while Rosalie, my ever faithful friend, did her part to ensure my girlfriend didn't go overboard.

In the end, Alice picked out a handful of clothes to buy for me—I tried to protest, but as per usual, she would hear none of it—and picked out a trendy outfit for me to wear today, including a bikini that I decided to wear underneath my regular clothes. Then it was my turn to find Alice something to wear and I grinned evilly at the thought.

"Do I get any hints?" Alice asked curiously.

"Nope," I replied. "And you can't peek, either."

Rosalie smirked. "Don't worry, Bells. I'll make sure the stinker doesn't cheat."

"Hey!" Alice huffed.

"Thank you, Rose," I said as I kissed Alice's cheek, then exited the dressing room.

I started browsing various racks, trying to find something for Alice to wear that she'd never wear in a hundred years, and I got to thinking on it. What wouldn't she wear? It took me a minute before it hit me: skimpy clothes! I grinned wickedly—and excitedly—at the thought of Alice wearing some sexy little outfit and immediately I began searching for one.

After I found the perfect low-cut tank top—designer brand—and a pair of jeans with natural tears in the knees, I grabbed a tiny jacket and brought the articles of clothing to the dressing stall and handed them to Alice, who frowned the moment she saw them.

"Um…Bella?" she said, eyeing the clothes suspiciously. "What did you…?"

"Put them on!" I said, grinning like a fool. "C'mon, c'mon!"

Alice sighed and speedily removed her wardrobe before just as quickly putting on the clothes I'd gotten her, then stopped to appraise herself. Her eyes widened in horror at what she was wearing and, while Rosalie fell onto the floor guffawing, all I could do was gawk at how sexy she looked.

"Bella!" Alice cried. "What the hell am I wearing?"

I closed my opened mouth and blushed. "Uh…something to maximize your hotness?"

"You…look like…" Rosalie couldn't finish her sentence because she was laughing so hard and Alice growled at her in annoyance before stomping over to me.

"Are you absolutely positive this is what you want me to wear?" Alice asked. I didn't bother responding because I was too busy staring at her—my God, she looks so _hot_—and Alice had to snap her fingers to grab my attention. "Bells, my breasts aren't my eyes." I blinked and blushed even harder as Alice smirked at me. "You really like this on me, don't you?"

I nodded dumbly, unable to make my mouth function. Instead, I captured Alice's lips, Alice curling her arms around me to kiss me back without question. I heard Rosalie whistle behind us, but paid her no mind. We kissed rather hungrily for several minutes until Alice pulled away to give me a chance to catch my breath, though I wished I wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Well, if this is really what you want me to wear…" Alice breathed, scowling at the clothes as though they were going to bite her. "In that case, I only ask for one thing in return."

"What's that?" I asked.

Alice smirked and pounced on me so I gently landed on the floor. "Beg for mercy!"

Her hands shot up my top and she started tickling my sides and underarms, causing me to burst into laughter as I writhed underneath her. Alice gave me a twisted smile and cackled while I laughed, trying to get her off of me, but failing miserably due to how strong she was.

"R-R-R-Rose!" I shouted in between laughter. "H-help m-me!" Rosalie, who had ceased her previous guffawing, grinned and started helping Alice by tickling my feet, causing me to laugh even harder. "D-damn you b-b-bitches!" I shrieked at them, tears welling up in my eyes at how much laughing I was doing. "M-m-m-mercy! Mercy!"

The two vampires eventually stopped their tickle torture and Alice kissed me before I could say anything. I tried glaring at her, but her kisses caused my pitiful attempt to dissolve, and once my heart rate calmed down, Alice sat up and pulled me into her arms while her lips danced against mine and my fingers buried into her hair. We stayed that way for at least ten minutes.

When Alice pulled away, I sighed and buried my nose into the crook of her neck. Alice affectionately nuzzled into my hair as she stood up with me still tucked into her arms.

"Let's go," she said. "The others are waiting."

"Do you intend to carry her out?" Rosalie asked, amused.

Alice considered this and I made no arguments. "I'd like to."

And that's what she did; she carried me out of the dressing room stall, all the way to the line to buy the clothing we'd picked out. It was only then that Alice had to put me down to grab her wallet to pay, which I didn't mind. Just as Alice was about to hand over the money for the clothes, a sharp, shrill voice assaulted my ears.

"Well, well, if it isn't the freak show," hissed Lauren Mallory, coming up behind us. Her hair was shorter and she lacked her usual groupies, but she'd gotten an inch and a half taller since the first day of school last year. Her bitterness and anger had grown as well, resulting in her loss of friends and, ultimately, her derailment from the "popular" clique.

"Lauren," I breathed. Ever since the Cullens had arrived and Alice became my friend, my confidence had slowly become stronger until I could stand up to Lauren and anyone else who bullied or belittled me. "What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like, Swan?" she growled. "The bigger question: what are _you_ doing here?"

"None of your fucking business," Rosalie sneered. She stepped in front of Alice and me to protect us as she always did, Lauren flinching back in fear of the towering blonde. "I don't care what you're doing here, Lauren, but I want you gone. Today is a special day and I'm not going to let you harass my sisters or badmouth my family. Get the fuck out of here or _else_."

I didn't see the look on Rosalie's face—I imagined it was her trademark glare—but Lauren swallowed nervously, muttered something under her breath, then left without saying anything more, causing Rosalie to smile proudly at herself as Alice took the bags of clothes.

"Thanks, Rose," I said. She leaned down to kiss my forehead, then took one of the bags. "I can help carry those too, you know. My hands aren't broken."

"We've got it," Alice replied with a smile. "Let's go!"

She merrily led Rosalie and me back out of the car, and I could tell she wasn't fully comfortable in the clothes—or rather, the lack of clothes—she was wearing, which I saw whenever someone's eyes darted to her and gawked. Normally, Alice enjoyed their reactions like Rosalie did—to a lesser extent, as she wasn't as vain as the blonde—but now she looked embarrassed.

I met Rosalie's eyes and she smirked, clearly enjoying the embarrassment Alice was going through. She gave me a wink and I laughed as we made it to Alice's car, piling the clothes we'd bought in the trunk before Rosalie ran off, none of us saying goodbye since we'd be seeing one another fairly quickly in a few minutes thanks to Alice's driving.

"Alice, how come you called it a family picnic?" I asked after getting into her car.

She shrugged. "What else was I gonna call it? Nine-vampires-come-and-watch-while-one-human-eats-her-human-food? That wouldn't have sounded good at all. Even though you will be the only one eating, we'll all be having fun together afterwards. Swimming, Frisbee, watching us wrestle…it'll be tons of fun! And in the sun! Ha, I rhymed!"

"The sun?" I frowned. "But Alice, what about…?"

"It's okay, Bells," she giggled. "We'll be in the forest, away from society. No one will spoil it."

"Oh." I smiled at that. "I can't wait."

"You don't have to," Alice said. "We're here." I blinked and looked out the window, realizing that we were indeed parked in the forest under the shade of a tree. Alice was outside my door in a flash, opening it for me. "My dear." She extended her hand to me and grinned. "Would you allow me the privilege of carrying you to our destination?"

"Yes," I replied, kissing her cheek. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," Alice said, scooping me into her arms.

She darted through the trees with me in her arms until we reached a clearing that I knew well, as we'd visited it many times in the past. The entire Cullen family was present, spread throughout the area doing their own thing. Once Alice set me down, everyone turned their attention to us and immediately there was a chain of laughter directed at poor Alice.

"What the hell are you wearing?" laughed Emmett, clutching his chest for dramatic effect.

Alice glared at me, but I couldn't suppress my own laughter. Even Carlisle and Esme were chuckling to themselves, though they had the good grace to try and cover it up. While it was fun to see the tables turned on Alice—who was notorious for her pranks and being a total fashionista with everyone in the family—I did feel bad for her, so I came and wrapped her into a hug.

"No matter what you think or what they say, you look hot to me," I whispered into her ear before pecking her on the cheek. "You'll _always_ look beautiful to me, Ali."

Alice beamed at me and kissed me. "Thank you, Bells. I appreciate it."

Carlisle and Esme walked over at that moment, smiling pleasantly at us. "Hello Carlisle, hello Esme," I greeted them, pulling away from Alice.

"Hello, sweetheart," Esme replied, pulling me into a tender hug and kissing my forehead.

"Having a pleasant day so far, Bella?" Carlisle asked, mirroring Esme's affections.

"Yes," I replied. "Glad to be spending it with my favorite people in the world."

My vampire parents' smiles doubled in size as they led Alice and me over to where the others were gathered up. There was a massive picnic blanket lying on the ground and a picnic basket smack dab in the middle, along with a pillow, which I knew was for me since they didn't need one. I smiled at it, then greeted my soon-to-be siblings.

"Hey guys," I said, waving to them. "Having fun without Alice and me?"

"Tons!" Emmett boomed, coming over to hug us both. "It's good to see you, though. It ain't as fun without the two squirts here to liven the place up, right Rose?"

Rosalie chuckled. "You've got enough liveliness in you for the whole family, Em."

"She's right," Jasper agreed. He was in an arm wrestling match with Maria on the side, Maria clearly getting the better of the Southern vampire. I watched them intently until Maria won, smashing the rock she and Jasper had been arm wrestling on. "Ugh. You win again, darlin'."

Maria beamed. "Best two of out three, Jazz?"

"We were beginning to wonder when you would show up," Angela stated, breaking me from my thoughts when she walked over to hug Alice and me, smiling kindly at us. "Edward assumed you would be late from doing 'girl stuff' beforehand."

Edward shrugged. "You're usually late is what I meant."

"We are not!" Alice huffed. "I'm _never_ late."

"You are if shopping is involved," he replied with a snort. "Don't try to deny it, either."

"Lay off, Edward," Rosalie said. "You spend most of your days brooding or listening to music, so you don't have much room to talk."

Angela giggled and playfully elbowed her husband. "She's got you there, Eddie."

Edward rolled his eyes, nodded to me, then headed over to where Emmett was and removed his shirt, tossing it onto the ground just as Emmett did, exposing their toned physiques for all to see, though I was less than impressed. Edward snorted, likely at my mental comment, before crouching. Seconds later, he and Emmett were wrestling around on the ground.

"Boys," Rosalie snorted, rolling her eyes.

Alice poked me in the belly. "Are you hungry, Bells? Esme made you your lunch."

I thought about it and nodded. "Yes, actually." She giggled and we plopped down on the blanket while Alice grabbed the basket and handed it to me. I parted it open and was stunned to see how much food was stuffed inside. "Holy crap, Esme. Does everybody in this family overdo it with how much food they make for me? I'm just one person."

"That may be true, but you eat enough for three," Rosalie chortled. "I've seen it."

Emmett guffawed as he got Edward into a headlock. "She's right, Bells! You've got the appetite of a full grown bear, which is pretty funny since you're so small!"

I blushed and everyone laughed. As I started removing the various food items Esme made for me, my eyes wandered and I scanned the clearing we were in. It was a flat area surrounded by trees with a small lake close by. Alice often brought me here to spend time with me away from the dramas of school and everyday life. I loved it.

While Emmett and Edward continued their wrestling and Jasper and Maria had their arm wrestling rematch, Rosalie was busy reading a magazine, Angela was picking flowers, and Carlisle and Esme were sitting close to me, appraising the lovely view of the distant mountains. Esme looked like she had a sketchbook with her, too, and I saw that she was drawing the scenery.

Just as I picked out a turkey and cheese sandwich to eat, the clouds above began to part, allowing the warm glow of the sun to filter through until the entire area was basked in it, causing all the Cullens' skin to begin to glow. I gaped in astonishment at each beautiful vampire glowing like an angel sent down by God himself. I wished I could take a mental photo of the scene.

"Bella," Alice whispered, her cool breath against my neck making me shudder.

I turned and nearly melted at the sight of Alice glowing. With her exposed skin and natural beauty, I honestly believed I was going to faint from seeing her in the sunlight, especially since I fainted the first time she showed me how the sun affected vampires.

"Oh, brother," Edward grunted.

"Hey, leave me alone," I huffed, breaking my gaze away from an amused Alice to glare at him.

Alice rubbed my back. "Eat your lunch, Bells. You can stare at me while you do, if you want."

I nodded and started eating the sandwich, my eyes darting around the different heavenly bodies surrounding me before ultimately fixating on Alice. Alice smirked and struck poses for me to enjoy while I ate, much to the amusement of her siblings, especially Rosalie, who came and joined her, turning it into a mini-contest of sorts.

"I'm the sexiest one," Rosalie stated bluntly, grinning.

Alice scoffed. "Hell no, I'm sexiest!"

"How about we vote on it?" Rosalie asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Girls, you're _both_ sexy," Maria said from where she was sitting, rolling her eyes. It was funny, too, since Angela was generally the peace keeper between her sisters. "Now stop it before you start brawling like those two meatheads over there." She jabbed a finger at Emmett and Edward just as they broke apart from another wrestling round.

Angela nodded in agreement. "Besides, you're going to make Bella choke."

I swallowed the bite of sandwich in my mouth, then nibbled the rest of it and washed it down with a bottle of water while Alice and Rosalie bickered a little more. I ended up eating a few more things that Esme packed for me and thanked her for it just as the sky became cloudy again, allowing me to look at Esme without being in a daze.

"You're quite welcome," she replied. "It was my pleasure."

Jasper and Maria came to sit by me, both giving me friendly smiles. "Hola, mi amiga," Maria said in her native tongue. "So tell me, when does Alice plan on turning you? Jasper and I are looking forward to seeing you become a vampire. It will be fun and we won't have to hold back any longer since you'll be just as strong as the rest of us."

I glanced at Alice, who sheepishly bit her lip, then shrugged. "I'm not sure. We haven't decided on a date yet, but I'm hoping soon. You'll help me when I turn, right?"

"Of course," Jasper replied. "We have a lot of experience with newborns, Maria and I. We'll do everything we can to make it easier for you after you turn. It'll be difficult at first, as it's always hard to control your thirst and emotions. Luckily, with my gift and Maria's strength and her know-how when it comes to soothing someone with words, you're in good hands."

"Thanks, guys," I said. "It means a lot to know you've got my back."

"Why wouldn't we?" Maria chuckled. "You're our baby sister."

"We'll all be helping," Angela added from where she was sitting. She'd collected an array of flowers from around the area and made a very pretty bouquet.

"Damn right," Alice agreed.

I giggled. "I know. I just…I worry."

"There's nothing to worry about," Emmett said. "We've got you covered, Bells!"

I grinned and turned to Esme and Carlisle, who nodded along with Emmett's enthusiastic words just as Maria, Jasper, Rosalie, Angela, and even Edward smiled in agreement. It made happiness swell up within my chest knowing I had such a strong support system to help me whenever I needed it, even when it came down to something as important as being turned.

Alice suddenly shot up from beside me. "Swim time!" she chirped, ripping away the clothes I'd picked out for her to reveal the sky blue bikini she'd been wearing underneath.

I shrugged out of my attire as well, though at a much slower, shyer pace since I was still adjusting to being around the Cullens like this. I always felt inferior to them in how I looked, but Rosalie and Alice's continued praise to my form was helping me little by little.

I followed Alice to the lake just as Rosalie and Maria joined Edward and Emmett by turning their wrestling match into a tag team match that Jasper and Carlisle would referee. Alice sauntered into the water first, unfazed if it was cold and simply dunking herself in, popping up seconds later with her lips curled into an impish grin.

"The water feels good," she said. "Come on in, Bells."

I glanced at it and let my toe hover over the water to test it, but Alice had other plans, which included grabbing and yanking me in without giving me a chance to see how cold it was. I yelped when my body was submerged, the chill of the water hitting me like tiny stones pricking my skin. It wasn't the most pleasant sensation, but feeling Alice's arms curl around me was.

Once I resurfaced, I shuddered as Alice pulled me close to kiss my forehead. "A-Alice," I grumbled. "Th-that's not c-cool…"

"Sorry," Alice said, biting her lip again. "I couldn't resist it."

"Alice!" Esme chided from where she was sitting.

It took me a few minutes, but I warmed up quickly and relaxed against Alice's body. Just as I did, however, a massive body plunged into the lake several feet away from us, creating a wave that nearly sent Alice and me flying out of the lake. Alice was able to resist it, though, and kept me in place, glaring at Emmett when his head popped up, big grin in tote.

"Should I have yelled 'cannonball'?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows innocently.

"That would've been nice," I replied. "I almost swallowed dirty lake water! Ew!"

Emmett started guffawing until Alice splashed water into his mouth, causing him to make the vampire equivalent of a gagging noise, which Alice and I shared a smirk at. The others started laughing too while Emmett, after successfully forcing out the offending water, crossed his arms and pouted like a little kid that had been scolded.

One by one, the rest of the family—other than Carlisle and Esme—stopped what they were doing and jumped into the lake to join us. There was a ton of splashing and a few swim-based games that were quickly formed due to the competitive nature of vampires, and while I wanted to participate, I opted to remain with Alice and watch instead for safety reasons.

"Underwater wrestling?" I asked, watching Angela and Maria grapple each other while completely underwater, which wasn't a problem since they didn't need to breathe. "Jeez, you guys will make up any excuse to fight, won't you?"

Alice giggled. "It's in our nature, what can I say?"

"You'll understand soon enough," Jasper informed me. "It's not all about fighting, though, I assure you. There's much more to our psyche that you'll come to understand and appreciate once you've been turned. I'd try to explain it, but it's difficult to explain to a human."

"Besides, your head would explode," Edward remarked with a crooked grin.

I splashed water in his face and giggled when he scowled at me. "Hey Eddie, how about you and I go a round?" Alice offered. "I'd love to kick your ass with my Bella watching."

Edward scoffed. "I'll pass. We both know I'd win anyways, Alice."

"Oh, really?" Alice asked.

Without warning, she leapt out of the water and pounced on top of him, effectively taking him down in the process. I squealed and clapped for her, knowing she'd see me despite being entangled with her brother underwater. Minutes ticked by until Edward's body flew out of the lake, Alice popping out with a shit-eating grin.

"I win, as I knew I would," she chimed.

Edward ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed. "I concede."

I gave Alice a dainty high five for her victory. "Go Team Alice!" I cheered.

"Fuck yeah," Alice agreed, giving me a kiss.

We swam together for two full hours, mostly snuggling together while we watched our siblings play around like little kids in the water. It was fun; I smiled so much, my face was sore by the time Alice helped me out. Laughing nonstop for two hours didn't help my throat, either, but it was worth it in the end because it was the most fun I'd had in months.

I chugged down a bottle of water—kept nice and cool thanks to Esme—and sighed as Alice handed me my towel, but with the warm wind blowing, I knew I'd be dried fairly soon.

"Did you have fun?" Alice asked.

"Yeah," I replied hoarsely, causing me to drink more water.

Rosalie chuckled as she flipped her mane of blonde hair about. "Looks like we broke her, Ali."

"I certainly hope not," Alice giggled. "She was going to get laid tonight, after all."

My cheeks reddened and Emmett whistled. "Damn, girls! That's hot!"

"A little too much information, Alice," Edward remarked.

Alice snorted. "Shut up, Eddie. You need to get laid more than anyone else. Maybe then, you wouldn't be so damn sour all the time. What do you say, Angie?"

Angela fluttered her eyelashes. "I'd say there's a good chance of that if Edward behaves."

"Behaves?" Edward asked, frowning. "What do you…?" His eyes widened. "Oh."

Everyone laughed except for me since I was trying to soothe my throat. It started feeling better, though, and I stood up to find my clothes, thinking we'd be leaving soon. Alice stopped me, however, and instead pulled me into a kiss.

"We're not going just yet," Alice said. "There's something I want to show you."

"Okay," I replied. "Shouldn't I get dressed?"

She shook her head. "There's no need, can't you feel how warm the breeze is? Besides, I like looking at your sexy bikini body, and being clothed would ruin my view." She licked her lips and ran her fingers up my stomach to my chest, then to my face where she stroked my cheek lovingly before pulling me close so our lips connected again. "I'll take you there now."

I nodded silently and allowed her to scoop me into her arms. She dashed forward through the trees away from the others, and I glanced up at the sky, noticing that it looked darker out, which meant it was clearly getting late. Alice didn't stop for several minutes, but when she did, we were near a cliff with a clear view of the town of Forks. I stared in amazement at the scene.

"Whoa," I breathed.

Alice giggled and sat down with me on her lap. "That's not what I wanted you to see." She pointed to the part of the sky where we could see the sun. "Watch."

As a gentle breeze ruffled my hair, the clouds slowly parted and the sun came into view as it began to set. My eyes widened when the clouds continued to peel away, revealing the most beautiful sunset I'd ever seen in my life. The sun looked like a small gold ball surrounded by a fiery orange halo that turned red as it continued extending outwards into he expanse of the sky.

I could see other colors meshed in around it, and for the briefest of moments, time seemed to come to a halt as I gazed at this miraculous display of colors. The warmth that radiated off it felt like a wave and all I could do was gape in awe, wishing I could take this moment and implant it into my memory for the rest of my life.

Alice's arms left me at that moment and I heard an odd clicking noise, followed by rustling leaves and the faint sound of footsteps, but I paid them no mind until something began to glow out of my peripheral view. I turned slowly and gasped when I saw Alice standing to the side of me with her arms outstretched, the various colors of the sunset reflecting off her pale skin.

It wasn't just her body that was glowing, though; it was her eyes too, which glowed like orbs of fire that shimmered with so much power within them, I thought I might go blind. I lost myself in them for what seemed like decades before finally breaking our gaze and allowing my eyes to trail down the rest of her angelic form, wishing to God I had photographic memory.

I felt as though my body was starting to melt as I watched her stand there, beaming at me as her body became a breath-taking work of art. My heart fluttered in my chest and I wondered if I would faint from the sheer beauty as the image of her was burned into my eyes. Then, ever so slowly, her glowing subsided as the sun descended until it was gone.

Alice was still beautiful as she leaned down to lie on top of me, her cool lips capturing mine while my mind was still in a daze. She kissed me passionately and I began kissing her back once the gears started turning again. Then she stopped, but her mouth remained against mine, both of us smiling brightly at the other, our love like a blanket of warmth wrapped around us.

"I love you, Bella Swan," Alice said softly, cupping my cheeks. "More than the world."

"I love you too," I breathed.

"I'll never stop loving you, either," Alice murmured.

We stayed that way, contently gazing at one another, until it was completely dark out, the wind that blew over us much cooler now. I shivered a little and Alice stood with me in her arms. She kissed me on the forehead, then dashed through the woods, cradling me close until we were back at the Cullens' clearing. Esme was there with a pair of pajamas that she handed to me.

"Here you are, dear," she said. "I warmed them up for you before I brought them."

"Thanks," I said, blushing as I swiftly removed my bikini and put the warm pajamas on. They were really warm and I sighed in relief as I hugged my mother. She kissed my forehead, smiled, then vanished into the night as Alice came to stand behind me and pulled me back into her arms.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Alice asked.

"More than words can describe," I replied, nuzzling into Alice's neck. "Thank you, Alice. Today was…the best day I've had in a long time. Granted, every day I spend with you is an amazing day, but being with you and the family like this really meant the world to me."

"I'm glad," Alice purred, brushing her nose into my hair and breathing in. "You smell good."

"So do you," I giggled. "I guess we should get home, then."

"Yup," she replied. "Oh, Bella?"

I looked at her. "Yes?"

She smirked impishly. "Don't get too comfortable in your pajamas. They're coming off the second we get back to the house when I make love to you." She nipped at my ear and I moaned as she lifted me up. "Get ready to have your world rocked, Bells."

I couldn't stop from grinning like a fool as she carried me to her car, then drove us back to the house, knowing full well what would be waiting for me when we returned. Despite my giddiness for what was to come, I thought back about the full day and realized it was perfect. I wouldn't have changed a thing about it and I looked forward to having more of them with my Alice.

There would be more, too. I knew that for a fact because any day with Alice was amazing, and soon I would be an immortal just like her. And at last, I'd have the happily ever after I'd dreamt about since I was a little girl: the perfect lover, the perfect family, and the perfect life, regardless of whatever ups and downs I faced along the way. It would be worth it in the end.

"Bella," Alice's voice broke me from my thoughts and I turned to her. "We're home."

I smiled as she zipped over to open the door for me and pressed my mouth to hers. "I wouldn't trade this life for anything," I said. "I hope you know that."

"I do," she said. "And I feel the same way." She laced her hand around mine, then led me inside to our room, closing the door to one part of my life and knocking on a new one. Our eternity.

**FIN**

**A/N: Another giftshot for someone I consider a friend even though we haven't spoken much. :)**

**For those of you wondering, I've taken to doing these giftshots to sort of expand on my amount of stories and because the people I'm doing them for are really good friends with a lot of talent. I hope everyone enjoys this.**


End file.
